Fluffy Blini Recipe

Technically speaking, blini is the Russian word for pancakes. In Russia and Ukraine though, the term describes thin, pan-size pancakes — crêpes, essentially — with the word blinchiki (little pancakes), on the other hand, referring to this small, fluffy variety. Here in the U.S., however, blini has come to imply the latter. Most commonly, these are small, two-bite pancakes that are often paired with crème fraîche and caviar or smoked salmon, or sour cream and honey or jam.

This delicious treat can be both sweet (for breakfast), or savory (as an hors d'oeuvre). The recipe below, from Ukrainian-born Alexandra Shytsman of the blog The New Baguette, can be used for both applications. If you plan to serve these as savory, just skip the vanilla. If you do serve them as sweet treats, definitely add the vanilla, and consider opting for honey as a serving side. Whichever way you serve these blini, you're sure to love the light, fluffy, and delicate flavors, whether they be savory or sweet.

To get started, you'll need all-purpose flour, eggs, milk (dairy or plant-based), sugar, salt, baking powder, and some neutral oil for frying. The secret to these blini's fluff factor is sour cream. While most of the recipes you'll find use just milk in the batter, the acidity of the sour cream combined with the baking powder helps the batter puff up. The extra fat in sour cream also lends a rich, luxurious taste.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Then whisk to incorporate everything evenly and set aside.

Next, in a separate bowl, combine the eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla (if going the sweet route). Beat the mixture really well to ensure the eggs are completely broken up.

Using a rubber spatula, scrape the egg mixture into the flour mixture and fold just until there are no large lumps of flour left. Be careful not to overmix! Otherwise, you'll end up with tough, gummy blini.

Heat up a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and add enough oil to generously coat the bottom. Working in batches, portion the batter into small pancakes. Cook until golden on the — 3 to 4 minutes — then flip and cook the other side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined platter to drain excess oil.

Now, you're ready to serve and enjoy the blini. Keep things savory with sour cream, or sweeten it up a bit with applesauce, honey, or jam.